27

"Mm…"

The bright sunlight irritated my eyes.

Rubbing my heavy eyelids back and forth, I woke up to realize that morning had arrived. Stretching out my arms, I felt a refreshing sensation settle into my body. It felt much lighter than before. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to invest in an expensive bed.

"My lips… they're all chapped…"

As I gingerly touched my lips with my fingers, a slight stinging sensation spread.

Recalling the memory of being relentlessly overpowered by Athena, a flush of embarrassment washed over me again.

'Even if it's between women… wasn't that a bit much?'

She was determined to erase every trace left by Lily and Dania, not with a light gesture of affection, but with the kind of deep, lingering kiss one might expect from lovers.

And it wasn't just yesterday. She intended to do it every night from now on…

No, that wouldn't do.

Athena might only be trying to erase the traces, but I didn't think I could endure it.

Having once been a man, the sensation of her exploring the inside of my mouth felt dizzying, to the point where my mind went blank.

While Lily and Dania accepted it as an expression of familial love, Athena was an entirely different matter.

I decided that if we met again, I'd have to talk to her about it, as I dragged myself out of bed.

As I stepped out of the large bed and looked around, the room appeared much messier than when I first arrived.

My worn-out clothes were strewn all over the floor, and the bed was so disheveled that its original tidy appearance was nowhere to be found.

…I should start by cleaning.

Leaving it like this would only inconvenience the maids, so I quickly got up and began tidying the room.

'I may not look it, but I'm quite the cleaner.'

I'd been living on my own for five years. For someone like me, who had mastered most household chores, cleaning a room was no big deal.

I folded the blanket neatly with military precision and placed it at the foot of the bed. The scattered clothes were folded nicely and put on the table.

Once I found out where the laundry room was, I'd wash them.

I meticulously cleaned the other cluttered areas as well.

I drew back all the curtains to let the sunlight brighten the room and opened the windows for ventilation.

I carefully adjusted the slightly tilted furniture to achieve perfect balance.

Before long,

'Hmm. Perfect.'

I felt a sense of satisfaction looking at the room, now tidily arranged with symmetrical order. Seeing the neat scenery filled me with a subtle sense of pride.

Knock, knock.

"Miss, may I come in?"

As I basked in self-praise, I heard the voice of a maid outside.

With a confident voice, I told her to come in.

'They'll be surprised when they see the room, right?'

Eagerly anticipating their reaction, I opened the door for the two maids who entered.

"Did you sleep well, miss?"

"We heard some noise from inside, so we came to check."

As they spoke, they paused to take in the room's new appearance.

"But… the room seems a bit different, doesn't it?"

They immediately noticed something had changed.

I straightened my shoulders, puffed out my chest, and spoke to them.

"Hmm… Hmm… When I woke up this morning, I felt dizzy. So, I tried doing a bit of cleaning."

How is it? This is what you'd call a perfect K-military style!

With a hint of anticipation in my heart, I looked at the maids,

But they were just staring at the room with rather flat expressions.

Huh…?

"Uh… Is it… strange?"

I asked in a timid voice, and after a moment of exchanging glances, they began to speak.

"No, it's not that, but there are some rules set for the entire mansion. This doesn't quite match them."

"Is… that so…?"

"You don't have to do anything, miss! We'll take care of everything like this from now on."

"That's right. Just relax and enjoy yourself. Hoho."

Feeling slightly deflated by their unexpected response,

Well, if there are rules as they say, then it's right to follow them.

Though a bit disappointed, I quickly brushed it off.

"What would you like for breakfast, miss?"

One of them asked about my meal.

Do I really not have to eat with Athena?

That would be great.

If I had to share every meal with her, surely there'd come a day when I'd end up with a terrible indigestion.

"Can I eat now?"

"Yes! Of course. Would you like us to bring it to you, or would you prefer to dine in the dining room?"

I felt that if I went to the dining room, I'd end up running into Athena, so I asked them to bring it to me.

That day, I experienced a whole new world of eating on the bed.

Like opening a window on a cool day while covered in a blanket, a strange satisfaction enveloped me.

Eating in the most comfortable place in the world.

Once it becomes a habit, it's a hard addiction to break.

If I could have breakfast like this every day, wouldn't that be heaven?

After finishing such a blissful breakfast,

I found myself in a serious dilemma.

'What should I do…?'

There's nothing to do.

I was brought here as Athena's servant.

If she doesn't call for me specifically, there's absolutely nothing I need to do.

I even considered helping the maids with their tasks, but when I asked,

They firmly refused.

"We'll handle our own work!"

"You should just rest comfortably, miss."

So, here I am, lying back on the bed, doing nothing.

I wasn't tired, so I just lay there with my eyes wide open, staring blankly at the ceiling.

In the past, I would've spent all day lying in bed reading novels on my phone, but now, that's not possible.

After rolling around on the bed for a long time, unable to endure the boredom any longer, I stormed out of the room.

And so, while wandering around the mansion, the person I found was

"Are you feeling bored?"

"Yeah…"

It was Alina.

After chatting with her about this and that, we were able to grow quite close.

Alina asked me to speak casually with her, and I accepted her request.

I asked her to speak casually with me too, but she said she couldn't because she was a maid.

But I'm a slave.

If we're talking about rank, wouldn't I be lower?

Anyway, Alina was currently the only person in the mansion I could comfortably speak to.

"Well… how about visiting the library?"

The library…

Not a bad idea.

In fact, reading novels was what I mostly did during my leisure time, so it might actually be a good thing.

But would there even be novels here?

Maybe in a big library-like place.

But this is Athena's mansion.

It didn't seem like there would be any books for entertainment.

Still, it seemed better than doing nothing.

I was about to ask her to guide me to the library.

"Oh! Or, by the way, the knights are currently sparring. How about going to watch?"

At her second suggestion, the thought of the library flew far away.

Knights.

A profession that absolutely cannot be excluded from fantasy novels.

Swordsmen who follow noble chivalry and fight, laying down their lives for their masters.

They are the embodiment of romance. Simply romantic beings.

'…I want to see.'

It felt like a fire was reigniting in my heart, which once belonged to a man.

Knights sparring with each other.

"Yeah, let's go there."

How could I resist that?

***

So, following Alina, we arrived at the training grounds.

Clang—

The sharp sound of metal clashing intensely flowed into my ears.

Looking in the direction of the sound,

A sight unfolded of muscular men swinging swords at each other.

As I got closer, the hot energy emanating from them reached my skin.

Their movements were as steadfast as a mountain, and their sword strikes, cutting through the wind, looked as if they could cleave even rocks in two.

"They're so cool…"

As I mumbled while staring blankly at the knights, Alina, beside me, nodded in agreement.

"Knights are always cool."

Marrying one of them would be amazing. I could look at muscles all day and never get bored.

Ignoring Alina's muttering beside me, I continued to stare at them intently.

'They're all at the Expert level.'

In the world of "Indomitable Warriors," swordsmen are divided into five categories.

Beginner, User, Expert, Master, and Grand Master.

Each stage is also divided into upper, middle, and lower ranks, but broadly, there are these five categories.

Although they are clumsy, starting from Sword Users, they can use mana for attacks, and Experts can skillfully use mana.

Masters are a realm that only the chosen can reach, a stage only reachable by a remarkable genius with grueling effort.

As for Grand Masters…

Well, in this empire, there was only one Grand Master.

The Sword Saint Carlos.

A man who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, beyond the limits of human capability.

Grand Master was a title solely reserved for him.

There was a hint that the protagonist could reach the Grand Master stage towards the end of the novel, but so far, it was far from happening.

Seeing that even Athena remained at the upper stage of Master, it was clear how lofty the realm of Grand Master truly was.

But then why is Athena considered the strongest human in the empire if there's a Sword Saint?

If you only look at swordsmanship, the Sword Saint would be stronger, but Athena was an outstanding swordsman and a powerful magician.

She had even reached the 8th Circle. She had achieved the level of Archmage.

Reaching the 7th Circle is a realm where a talented magician must research and train in magic until they are close to death, and even then, luck must be on their side.

Anything beyond that is the domain of geniuses.

Yet, she had reached the 8th Circle at a young age. A being feared even by geniuses.

That person was Athena.

Anyway.

The topic had strayed, but what's important now is that all of the knights there were at least Experts.

Looking closely at their swordsmanship, a considerable amount of mana was condensed around their blades.

If swung like that, it could easily slice through solid rock.

It's not just the offense.

They've surrounded their bodies with mana, giving them a defense that wouldn't be scratched by a regular hit.

Suddenly, my heart began to pound fiercely.

For the first time since I was possessed, I felt like I was immersed in a fantasy novel.

After only seeing weak monsters like petty criminals or low-level mobs in Draks, seeing a true formidable opponent made my chest swell with excitement.

Of course, there had been a time when I faced Athena, but she was an exception.

There's a saying: falling from a ten-story building is scarier than falling from a thousand-story one.

When something goes beyond your imagination, it no longer feels real.

But now.

Witnessing a battle between knights, I could truly feel that I had entered the world of my favorite novel, 'The Indomitable Hero.'

"I want to fight."

The thought of testing my strength against them slowly spread through my mind.

I've fought countless battles, but I've never had a proper one.

I wanted a real fight where the offense and defense traded blows, not just a one-sided beating.

I have a unique ability. I would never fall behind them.

Possessing great power and being in a fantasy novel like this.

Isn't it only natural to feel this way? That's what I thought.

It felt like all the suppressed fighting spirit I'd held back against Athena was bursting into flames at once.

…Should I ask for a spar?

If I sincerely requested it, they probably wouldn't refuse.

In fact, if I reveal that I have a unique ability, they might even beg me for a match.

And since it's just a sparring match, there shouldn't be any severe injuries.

The knights, of course. And I could also control my strength well enough, so there wouldn't be any problem.

"Alright."

I calmed my burning insides as much as possible and, filled with anticipation, walked toward them.

But what awaited me ahead was not a duel or a battle.

It was a massacre.

"…Huh?"

What is this?

The horrifying sight in front of my eyes.

As if watching a movie in fast forward, countless people were running and moving rapidly back and forth.

"Hey!!! Dylan!!! Damn it! Is the healer here yet?!"

His shout pulled me out of my thoughts.

My pupils began to shake violently.

As if there was an earthquake, my hands started trembling.

My feet wouldn't move at all. I could only watch this scene unfold.

Maybe my mind didn't want to accept the situation, as I couldn't think of anything.

***

"Ugh…"

"Stay with me! The doctor will be here soon. Just hold on a bit longer!"

I took a trembling step toward him, but.

"Get the hell away!! You monster… Do you think you can get away with this?!"

"N-no… I… I didn't…"

"Please, just hold on a bit longer, Dylan. Think of the wife waiting for you."

In front of me, a man with a hole in his chest was coughing up blood.

His dimming eyes were filled with nothing but fear directed at me.

"It's…I… It must be a dream…"

It's a dream.

I'm just having a bad dream.

It has to be.